Method and apparatus for visually-oriented navigation of compared object versions
US7071934B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S715/973
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A technique, system, and computer program for quickly and efficiently navigating through a comparison of different versions of a file. An abstract representation of the detected differences is provided in a separate navigation window or pane. This abstract representation is shown as one or more bars, which are formatted using one color for segments that are the same and a different color for those segments that are different. This allows the user to see, at a high level, the relative size of differences, the relative position of the differences, and how the differences are distributed throughout the files. The user can navigate through the differences using navigation controls that are synchronized between the navigation window (or pane) and a file comparison window. A novel use of hover help is defined. The navigation window and controls can be used with comparisons of any type of ordered data, such as text, audio, video, etc., and with comparisons of any number of versions of a file.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.